Over the last three weeks, ESPN.com has released their rankings of the NBA’s 74 all-time greatest players. A few days ago, they released the final part of their list which displayed the top 10 players.
This list included: 10. Shaquille O’Neal, 9. Kobe Bryant, 8. Tim Duncan, 7. Larry Bird, 6. Wilt Chamberlain, 5. Magic Johnson, 4. Bill Russell, 3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 2. Lebron James and 1. Michael Jordan.
The next player, who is actively playing in the NBA, named on the list was Stephen Curry at 13. While some agreed with the accuracy of the list, others had an issue with the high rankings of James and Curry. Both players received tons of backlash from former players and different sports media outlets.
Among the critics was former Indiana Pacers guard and current ESPN Analyst Jalen Rose. Rose said he felt like Lebron hasn’t done enough yet to acquire the second-place position.
“For me, Lebron is too high,” Rose said. “There are some people that played in the league that accomplished more and have been more dominant than him. Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar should be ranked higher.”
Another former player who took issue with the list was NBA Hall of Famer O’Neal. Recognized as one of the most dominant forces to ever step foot on the court, O’Neal voiced criticism for Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
“The Warriors would’ve been a 7th seed in my era,” O’Neal said. “We would’ve let Stephen Curry drive to the basket and I would have laid him out a couple times. Period. They would’ve had no chance against the three-peat Lakers.”
While I don’t think James will ever surpass Jordan, I do feel his placement as the second greatest player of all-time is warranted. He remains one of the greatest talents the basketball world has ever seen.
Some people forget that Lebron chose not to play under the tutelage of a coaches like Mike Kryzyzewski at Duke University or Roy Williams at University of North Carolina and entered the NBA at 18 years old and played at a high level.
Shannon Sharpe from Fox Sports “Undisputed” stated a valid point when it came to James’ dominance and longevity. “Lebron in his first
“Lebron in his first four years in the NBA was Rookie of the Year, 2nd Team All-NBA, 1st Team All-NBA and took his team to the finals at the age of 22,” Sharpe said. “At the age of 21, Michael Jordan was asking Dean Smith if he could leave practice early to go to study hall (at the University of North Carolina).”
Lebron is a three-time champion and a four-time league MVP. He places 3rd all-time in scoring and 8th all-time in assists. When he decides to retire, there’s a good chance James will rank first in scoring and in the top five in assists which shows his ability as an all-around great player.
People complain about his 3-6 record in the finals; however, James lacked the same support as some of the other legends. He willed his team to the finals by himself in 2007 and 2018.
Prior to the four years James spent with the Miami Heat, few people can remember the names of the second best player during his first stint in Cleveland. Unlike some of the other players, who were fortunate enough to play with another all-time great (i.e. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal), James did not have the luxury of another great hall-of-famer as a teammate during the first seven years of his NBA career.
Moreover, Curry has revolutionized the game as we know it. Before he entered the league in 2009, teams shot 13 three-pointers per game on average. Since his debut, the average has risen to 34. Curry has cemented himself as the best shooter of all time.
He is a three-time champion and two-time MVP. Curry stands as the only player to win the MVP by unanimous vote and to hit 400 three-pointers in one season.
Even though they lost the championship in 2016, Curry helped the Warriors earn the best regular season record in NBA history at 73-9. With the Warriors still continuing as a threat in the Western Conference, Curry can end his career as one of the top 10 all-time best players.
With that being said, today’s superstars do not get the credit they deserve.
Yes, this era might not be as physical as previous ones, but the skill level remains at an all-time high. Players of the past never had to worry about distractions like social media and 24-hour sports debate shows, therefore, current players endure more pressure to succeed on and off the court.
Lebron and Curry are two of the greatest players to ever play the game and should be given their jewels while they can admire them. Each era of basketball has their gems and these two players are cut above the rest.
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